I am loving Joe Hill's Hill House Comics collection. This was another great addition to the series. With enough intrigue and mystery surrounding the plot, this is a graphic novel that is a little lighter on the horror element.

I cannot open this PDF. There is an error with the formatting that is not compatible with my laptop and I was not given access through the Net Galley app.

I read the original comic and loved it.

What was that?!

I am not a fan of the horror genre-my brain really does not need to assistance in the creep me out department-but this was sufficiently unsettling. The art style is not my favorite, but I do think it contributes to the general disturbed feelings this book left me with.

Special thanks to NetGalley and DC for the free ARC I was provided in exchange for an honest review.

This graphic novel is a horror story which takes place in Shudder-To-Think, a decaying former mining community suffering from fires which burn underground. Its woods are haunted by skinless men, mutant deer-women hybrids, and other abominations. Additionally, the women in the town appear to be suffer from an illness resulting in periodic short-term memory loss. The story begins when two high school friends, Eldora (El) and Octavia (Vee), find themselves the victims of this illness one night. They soon realize that the creatures in the woods may not be the worst residents in a community with dark secrets...secrets which everyone seems to be either in on or in denial of.

I enjoyed the overall story. With Lovecraftian and Lynchian overtones, it kept getting stranger and creepier, making me wonder what on earth was going on, but it was all eventually explained (admittedly, this probably could have been handled a little better--it was accomplished largely through a lengthy exposition dump). It only gets more horrifying when you do finally learn the truth.

Props to the writer for the diverse cast of characters, including two strong female leads. They are both LGBTQ+ and POC, yet are also written differently--e.g., El is tough and determined to find out the truth (no matter how horrifying it may be) about what happened during their period of memory loss, while Vee is more bookish and initially wants to forget about the experience and move on. Despite this conflict, they have a deep and well-written friendship.

The art was a mixed bag. I loved the use of color, especially the shades of blue and purple used during nighttime scenes. The drawing, on the other hand, left something to be desired. It was well done at times, but other times, it looked rough or even outright unfinished, almost like they had decided the initial penciled version was good enough to skip over to the coloring process. It was also difficult at times (either due to the artwork or the framing/sequence of the shots) to tell what was going on. For example, Vee discovers a bizarre secret about her girlfriend Jessica early on; it's eventually explained, but when they first showed it, I had no idea what I was even looking at and was confused even more when Jessica was shown to be alive and well a few scenes later with no explanation.

This is the second graphic novel I have read in DC's Hill House imprint, and I have enjoyed both. I look forward to seeing what they have to offer next!

I really, really enjoyed this graphic novel. I have read Carmen Maria Machado's short stories and her memoir and I love her writing so I was very excited to read this. The story is dreamy, creepy, frightening, and sad, at once a folktale and an allegory. El and Vee are well-written protagonists, their stories intersecting and diverging in an interesting way. The town of Shudder-to-Think was an amazingly eerie setting to drop into, becoming even scarier as the narrative unfolds--first as we see more of the monsters, then as we begin to understand the scale of the monstrosity. I liked the characters' narration throughout, and felt that the narrative flowed neatly with the art. The art itself left me a bit conflicted. Some panels are downright messy, making it a bit difficult to tell what's going on (e.g. character expressions were sometimes difficult to read, and not in a way that made me feel like the ambiguity was meaningful). On the other hand, the style worked wonderfully for the more horror-style panels, or those that called for some degree of uncertainty. Definite read.

I have always liked Carmen Maria Machado's writing and this was no exception. However, I don't think her writing style fits very well into the graphic novel format. It was ok, but felt a bit long winded and exposition dumpy. Also, the art style was not my favorite. It wasn't bad, but a bit choppy and messy looking at times. The message within was definitely a hard hitting one so it might be a rough read for some. Overall, this was ok. I'm always down for more women in comics and I would definitely read more by Machado.

The Low, Low Woods is the latest graphic novel in the DC Black Label line. As such, it's a horror story, and it makes no apologies for what it is.
In Pennsylvania there is a town called Shudder-to-Think. It is a town that has earned it's name. Fires blaze under the ground, while those above are afflicted with an illness that takes away their memory. In little pieces at first, and later in large chunks.
El and Vee are the latest victims to this disease, and they're not content to let it run its course. Thus, they're going to find the cause, though they may not appreciate the truth once it has been uncovered.

Warnings: The Low, Low Woods is a seriously dark book. It has strong themes surrounding sexual assault, rape, and abuse. This is not a story for the faint of heart. Seriously.

The Low, Low Woods has got to be one of the darkest graphic novels I've read in quite some time. No, I take that back. I actually think that is is legit the darkest graphic novel I've ever read, which I'd like to think is saying something.
This is a book that doesn't hide from uncomfortable subjects or facts. It explores the darker side of humanity. Set in a small town, it was free to get as dark as it wanted. All while basing the core of it on real events (the mining accidents).
Honestly, this graphic novel started out as a pretty interesting read. I really enjoyed it at first. And then the darkness started setting in. My warning was no exaggeration, and many readers will potentially find it to be highly triggering.
That in itself isn't a bad thing, it's a horror story after all, and it never pretended that anything happening was okay. It's an exploration of trauma and how horrible human beings can be. It discusses all sides of memory, and the reasons why sometimes people prefer to forget. Like I said, not for the faint of heart.
The artwork inside The Low, Low Woods was a perfect compliment. It's dark and gritty, and danced nicely around some of the themes I already mentioned. Nothing graphic is ever shown, only implied. I'm grateful for that.
Personally, I adored the color palette found within these pages, and feel like that alone really set the tone for the entire read. Though maybe that's just me.
One thing I have to say, I'm really curious to see what sort of story will follow-up The Low, Low Woods - looks like it's Daphne Byrne, but I haven't read that one yet. It'll be interesting to see how that one goes.

Strange, unsettling story of two girls who start searching for answers to what they’ve forgotten and uncover the dark secrets of their town.
#Edelweiss #NetGalley #TheLowLowWoodsHillHouseComics

The Low, Low Woods works as both a fairytale and an examination of contemporary sexual assault conversations. Two young girls wake up in a movie theater with lost time. It's clear something sinister happened to them while they were blacked out but they have no idea what it could have been. For the rest of the series, we explore their world, an old mining town with smoking fissures in the Earth, a local witch that never ages, and a strange deer-like centaur that prowls the forest. Machado manages to deftly balance character development and plot delivering a disturbing but ultimately hopeful horror allegory.

4 stars for the story. Very different from the first Hill Comic, this one is more kind of horror fairy tale, less straight up gruesome. Still on the theme of strong female characters which was nice. I found the over all story to be interesting.
3 stars because I did not care of the art at all. I thought the sketchy style was very off putting and inconsistent and took away from the over all story.

The Low, Low Woods is an atmospheric and surreal horror story set in the dying coal town of Shudder-To-Think, Pennsylvania.

Elements of feminism and malevolence come into play, as two young women El and Vee realize something is terribly wrong in their town. Years ago a fire moved underground into the coal mines, forcing their closures and gutting an already fragile economy. In addition, women began to exhibit strange episodes in which they were losing large portions of their memory. When this seems to happen to the two friends on an evening at the movies, they want answers. Readers then discover there is already a layer of magic, as a strange deer/human hybrid is sighted, skinned men are hiding in the woods, and there are rabbits everywhere with human eyes. There is somewhat of a Paper Girls vibe in this story, further supported that El and Vee ride their bikes everywhere, but late in the story the narrative takes a sharp and confusing turn. A witch who is trying to combat the cruelty of the men in the region, as previous sexual assaults are implied in the story but not seen, but her spells don’t always work the way she intended. The remainder of the story is the young women trying to give agency back to the women affected by the dark magic.

The illustrations by artist Dani are dark with a color palette using a lot of black and red. The panels are varied, often with a large picture with smaller ones layered on top with black gutters. But the lines can be imprecise and lacking details. For example, El who is a larger woman is often drawn blocky. But I did appreciate that the various characters were given a diverse look. There was a lot of dialogue and information given in text boxes, with a small font that made reading challenging.

I have read a previous short story, Blur, by the author Carmen Maria Machado through LeVar Burton Reads, and she is known for her LGTBQ+ storylines in the horror genre. While this story wasn’t exactly to my liking, I like how Hill House Comics is using a variety of authors to reach different audiences. I was pleased to receive an advance copy through NetGalley and I plan on reading more of this label’s graphic novels! (Actual review 3.5/5)

The Low, Low Woods by Carmen Maria Machado started out a bit confusing. Two teen-age girls leaving a movie theater without any memory of watching the movie. One very angry, El, and the other, Vee, not wanting to know.

They both know something happened. El wants to know what happened. Vee would rather remain in the dark. What exactly is happening to the women of Shudder-To-Think, Pa.?

El and Vee are best friends, inseparable since they were young children. They met in the woods. The woods they were not to go near. El rescued Vee from the skinless man. The skinless men, the strange, malformed animals, the fire raging beneath them., and those women with a void that opens in their middle sucking in all that is around them.

And the witch. Did I not mention the witch?

This graphic novel is about women taking their power back. Women choosing to remember. Women willing to fight to regain the lives they had lost. When El, Vee, and the witch begin working together, tables are turned.
What exactly happening to the women of Shudder-To-Think, Pa.? You are about to find out and, oh boy, what a rush!

The beginning of this graphic novel had me confused. I wasnt quite sure what was going on. I held in there and was glad I did. Those that abused their power got what was coming to them. The story, at times brutal, does not stray from the harder topics. Although the supernatural is a huge part of this graphic novel, the story could very easily play out in our world. There are many monsters walking around with human faces.

Thanks to NetGalley, DC Black Label, and Carmen Maria Machado for an ARC in return for an honest review.

This is the winner of the Hill House Comics imprint. I've been a fan of Carmine Maria Machado since her collection "Her Body And Other Parties" and The Low, Low Woods fits in with the stories in that collection. The story of a former mining town in Pennsylvania, the residents left behind, and the secrets that are being kept from the women in the town. It is a more sophisticated story than many horror graphic novels I've read. Machado, I think a first time comics writer, does not simplify her story telling at all. It is layered and slowly reveals itself as the book goes on. The art by Dani is beautiful and does an excellent job of telling parallel stories while Machado's narration gives emotional grounding or backstory. I really hope Machado does further work in comics, even if Hill House was a short-lived experiment. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy of this ebook in exchange for an unbiased review.

"From New York Times bestselling author Carmen Maria Machado (Her Body And Other Parties, In The Dream House) comes a story so horrifying you won't dare to forget!

When your memories are stolen, what would you give to remember? Follow El and Vee as they search for answers to the questions everyone else forgot.

Shudder-to-Think, Pennsylvania, is plagued by a mysterious illness that eats away at the memories of those affected by it. El and Octavia are two best friends who find themselves the newest victims of this disease after waking up in a movie theater with no memory of the past few hours.

As El and Vee dive deeper into the mystery behind their lost memories, they realize the stories of their town hold more dark truth than they could've imagined. It's up to El and Vee to keep their town from falling apart...to keep the world safe from Shudder-to-Think's monsters."

Collects issues # 1-6."

A wonderfully creepy entry into the Hill House catalog with a coming of age mystery with interesting time jumps that make you wonder if you're in Shudder-to-Think and losing your memories as well.

This one wasn't my cup of tea. Unraveling what actually happened in the story was confusing and too many weird occurrences happened to too many characters for me to make the connections.

Thanks to DC Comics and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC for review.

Carmen Maria Machado always has permission to completely devastate me. In proper CMM fashion that is exactly how I felt after finishing this comic.

The Low, Low Woods is a story about El and Vee who one day wake up in the movie theater without any recollection of what had happened. Searching for answers they find much more than they had bargained for while looking deeper into the history of Shudder-to-Think.

CMM is truly a master at any medium that she touches. This was so much a story about women reclaiming their agency on their own terms. The monsters may not be the creepy beings in the woods but instead your next-door neighbor.

If you are looking for another read about teenage girls disrupting the patriarchy, this one is for you.

Overall, I really dug this graphic novel. The art really worked for me, and there was a tone of creepiness that pervaded the whole piece. The only problem, really, is that it is a bit vague in the way it handles the ending-- I don't think I really understood fully what, exactly, had been forgotten. I have a rough idea, but I think it needed to be more specific to carry the emotional impact the story needed.

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book!

This book was very cute and I really enjoyed it. I loved the story of strong women. The plot and storyline in the book gave me what I was looking for. It wasn't over the top creepy but it had its moments of creep factors. I highly recommend this author. I loved the writing. I will be looking for other works in the future from this author.

Carmen Maria Machado's "The Low, Low Woods" begins as a spooky, strange, atmospheric read. There's something afoot in Shudder-to-Think, Pennsylvania. Best friends El and Octavia awaken as a movie ends, not remembering falling asleep, and seeing clear evidence that they did not stay in the theater during the movie. What unfolds is a tale of dark, brutal secrets and magic gone awry.

At its core, "The Low, Low Woods" is a feminist story and a story of rape culture. This is not for the faint of heart, and trigger warnings abound for violence, gore, and rape, though the latter does not occur on the page. If found a number of things very refreshing about the book. The protagonists are a couple of teenage girls, both lesbian and both of color. El is a woman of size. They are never pitted against each other, but rather against the world around them. The representation alone is a powerful feminist statement, and the story that unfolds is even more powerful.

This modern fantasy tale does not seem as much like horror to me, but that is a positive for me. It is really about women, and how they can overcome an established patriarchy at great cost. Memorable main characters with a strong bond of friendship. Diverse sexual orientations, gender expressions, and relationships give the story more depth than older fiction. The art is both realistic, but can add disturbing elements for effect. Definitely YA or adult for some themes.